Retreat
by Abelia
Summary: Story set after 2X22. Stefan has disappeared with Klaus. Elena is in trouble and Damon is left to take care of her.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my first fanfiction. I'm excited to share my story so reviews are welcome. :)

Summary: Story set after season 2 episode 22. I haven't seen season 3 yet. Stefan has disappeared with Klaus. Elena is in trouble and Damon is left to take care of her.

Pairing: Damon and Elena

Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries.

Retreat

It happened so fast. Damon appeared at my window and growled, "we have to go. Now!" I didn't ask questions. The serious look he gave me was enough to convince me. Damon is never serious. He always has that cocky, sarcastic, expression in his voice. This time, Damon was different. He was rushed and by the way he just appeared and demanded we leave I knew there was trouble. My life has become very dangerous and unpredictable since I learned that vampires exist.

Damon grabbed my school bag, dumped it as he tossed it at me and said, "pack!" He went back to the window and looked out. Turning to me, he repeated "now there's no time to explain."

"Grab some clothes and whatever you need out of the bathroom. We will be gone for a while," he said, as he grabbed a chair, slammed the bedroom door, and wedged the chair under the door knob.

"Damon you're scaring me."

"Just do it."

I was already shoving my things into my bag. I grabbed a few pants and shirts. As I ran to the bathroom, I heard a loud crash and instantly knew it was the front door. The sound of glass breaking from the downstairs followed. I heard Damon yell, "times up!" and I ran for my bedroom window slinging my bag around my shoulders as I went. My heart was in my throat and as I reached for Damon, he pulled me against him and rushed us through the window.

As we hit the ground he pushed me to the street taking down a waiting vampire as he went. He had come fully prepared with wooden stakes. I always thought it was kind of ironic that vampires used the very thing that could kill them to defend themselves.

His car was waiting. Damon had left it running and the driver side door was wide open. He beat me to the car, opened the door and shoved me in. I looked backed as we drove off watching for someone to follow but no one did. We were already gone and it was too late for them this time.

As I look back on that night, I find myself wondering what if Damon hadn't been there. He saved me. It's very hard for me to look at him the same way I used to. I was always so angry at him for not caring and acting out by using people like he did with Caroline. Now that Stefan is gone, he's sorta been my protector.

She's safe now. They can't hurt her here. I can hear her heartbeat slow and strong as she lies in bed sleeping peacefully. She's alive and I'm going to keep her that way. It's been a month since Stefan decided to play hero and become part of Klaus's posse. What was my brother thinking? Why did he save my life? I tormented him for years, threatened Elena, and didn't really try to keep Elena at a distance. The jealousy was there, the hatred and condescending lectures. I just don't understand why he would give up everything for me. He gave up everything just to get me the cure. He knew that Elena would be alone. No. Now that's not exactly true. Stephan knows that I would die to save Elena. He's told me that in a roundabout awkward kind of brother talk. But he knows not to leave her alone with me. I would never hurt her but that doesn't mean I have to continue to behave myself around Elena.

Since I'm thinking about my close call with death, I might as well admit that it made me consider some of the things I've done. How humiliating that I became so pathetic and sentimental there at the end. But you know I thought I was going to die. Guess I forgot to do the vampires can push away their feelings trick.

Damn Stefan for leaving at a time like this. He has put Elena in more danger than he knows. Klaus has ordered that his little vampire friends kidnap and bring Elena to him so that he could continue to control Stefan. He may even have her killed.

I discovered this while they were torturing me. Guess I was getting too close to finding Stefan and figuring out what Klaus is up to. I may be strong but I'm no match for a dozen vampires older than me and feeding on human blood.

Speaking of blood, I can practically feel Elena's blood pulsing through her. I'm going to have to feed soon. Too bad I didn't have time to do a little packing for myself.

She lay there watching him. He was staring out the bedroom window lost in thought. He hadn't left her side all night. She wondered where his mind was. Was it in the past or the present? Sometimes she couldn't be sure. The Salvatore brothers were so haunted at times.

He looked over at her and caught her staring at him. She didn't try to hide it. Wondering just how long she had watched him, he walked over to her and knelt by the bed taking her hand in his. He leaned in staring at her trying to gauge if the shock had worn off. They had gotten close. If he hadn't been beaten so bad he could have gotten there sooner. Problem was he had to stop for a little blood so that he could get his strength back. Even then, it wouldn't have been enough to take care of the vampire group approaching her house. Elena would be really angry if she knew about his little impromptu snack. She hated that he fed on human blood. Hello Vampire. It's what he does.

"You ok?" he asked. She was a tough one but a lot had happened recently including losing her aunt. Elena had dealt with a lot of loss. He wasn't sure how much loss she could take. And now that Stefan was gone…

"Yeah. Are you going to tell me what's going on now?"

"It's Klaus. He's decided that he needs you to keep Stefan inline. He can't hold him to his word forever so he needs more leverage."

"Oh my gosh, Damon. What are we going to do? You can't protect me from all of them by yourself…."

"I can and I will. You are safe here Elena. I won't let anything happen to you. You know that." Her brown eyes glossed and he knew that she was close to crying. She didn't like to cry or show emotion in front of him unless you count when she was angry or slapping him. He reached for her face and pushed her hair behind her ear resting his hand lightly on her cheek. "It will be okay."

"How?" she said raising her voice. "How is it going to be okay? Stefan is gone and he's probably drunk on human blood and you don't have any more vampires here to back you up and I….I'm sorry. I'm not being very grateful to you for saving my life."

"Well I did expect a little gratitude," he said as he smirked with that crooked smile he always wore when he was being cocky or smart about something. "After all I did just single-handedly help you escape a dozen vampires bent on eating you."

Elena smiled and some of the fear and tension from the last several hours began to leave her face. His hand still rested on her cheek and he gently smoothed her smile line with his thumb. Her face became very serious again and a small tear escaped her eye as she asked, "He's not coming back is he?"

Damon wiped the tear from her cheek as he leaned into her and whispered, "I don't know."

He stood up and moved to sit on the bed beside her as she sat up and scooted over to give him some room. She leaned into his chest as his arms came around her. He sighed and rested his cheek on her head.

"Elena ten years isn't long to a vampire, but ten years to a human can feel like forever. I don't know why Stephan chose to save my life and I can't complain, but I'm sorry that he had to leave you to do it."

"Me too. What are we going to do?"

"I don't know yet, but for now I think that it is best if no one knows where we are. Elena, that means that you can't try to contact anyone from home. It could put them in danger."

"You're right. Jeremy is going to be worried sick. So is Bonnie. Couldn't Caroline help us? She is a vampire."

"I've already given her instructions on how to get here. She is bringing me some blood. A guys gotta eat and since I'm not fond of taking up Stefan's diet of the Bambies and Thumpers of the forest I need some blood fast. She's not staying though and she can't tell anyone else where we are so don't ask. It's a risk that she is even coming here."

"Damon where is here?"

"Here is a little place Stefan and I took over a long time ago. We've kept it around for when we need to disappear for a little while. It's got one way in and one way out and it's very isolated. No one knows where this place is but us and we need to keep it that way."

He had to leave Elena to herself for a while. Damon needed to feed and the pulsing of her blood through her veins was getting to him. He only had so much control around her. Being a vampire intensified everything including the need that'd been buried inside him for a while. After all, she is his brother's girl.

Damon locked the bathroom door. He really needed an Elena time out before he did something stupid and impulsive like usual. He really needed to feed. Leaning over the tub he rolled the cold water nozzle on to full blast. He needed to cool himself down. His hunger was more of a roar now than a dull ache. Maybe the cold water could take away his need for blood.

Sliding down into the freezing water he tried to think about how much longer it would take Caroline to reach them. They were hours away from Mystic Falls and he had instructed her to go the long way through the forest. Eh… she was a vampire, she could handle it.

Just as he was thinking he was going to be okay without feeding for a while, Elena knocked on the bathroom door. "Damon are you ok? You've been in there a long time and you haven't eaten."

"Go away Elena, I'm fine."

"Damon what's going on?"

"I'm hungry. That's what! Now stay away from me." He couldn't help being mean to her. He needed to keep her safe.

"Okay, Elena whispered with a twinge of fear in her voice."

Good. She should be afraid of him now.

"Damon let me in," she called.

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea now." Gee bunnies were sounding better all the time.

Caroline was sure that she was going to kill Damon by the time she found the log house. It was amazing and beautiful. He had made her trek her way through miles of trees and deserted forest. Didn't this place have a freaking road! What was this, some kind of forest preserve? She was sure her clothes were ruined and it wasn't easy lugging a huge bag filled with blood around even if she did have vampire strength. Yes. She was definitely going to stake him herself. Too bad Alaric wasn't allowed to come or anyone else for that matter. He had said it was important.

Elena heard the door downstairs and tensed. "Damon," she called through the bathroom door. "Damon I think someone's here."

"It's just Caroline. I can hear her complaining and contemplating my certain death involving a stake. I'll be out in a minute."

Damon quickly dried off and wrapped the towel around his slim hips. He did feel a bit better. Not worrying about his clothing, he opened the door and sauntered down the stairs getting a glimpse of Elena as he went. She was a little surprised that he was half-naked. Good he thought.

"Damon Salvatore!" Caroline huffed. I can't believe you. Can't you just get your own blood. You come up here for a vacation and I have to drag myself through the middle of nowhere just so you can camp out here all cozy and wow you don't look so good."

"Calm down Blondie," he smirked. She had leaves and a few pine needles sticking out of her hair and it was really obvious she may have tripped in the mud a few times. "I'll explain everything, but now I need this," he said as he ripped the bag out of her hands and grabbed a hospital blood bag she had gotten from his fridge. Tearing it open he downed the blood quickly. If she had been any longer he would have eaten the bag too or…possibly Elena. Good thing he had some control.

"What's going on?" Caroline asked as Elena rounded the corner from the stairs.

"It's Klaus," Elena whispered.

Caroline had been very good to cover her tracks. She had gone back to Mystic falls so no one would realize she had left. Damon didn't want to take any chances that they would be found. He sat in a chair by the fire drinking as usual. Elena was glad that he was a vampire because at this rate he would be an alcoholic by now.

"Hello Elena," he said as he stared into the fire and downed his glass. She hated when he did that. Vampires were impossible to sneak up on. She moved to sit next to him on the little couch leaning into him for comfort. She wished Stefan was here. She needed him. And while she needed him he was off playing vampire buddies with Klaus. She groaned and put her head in her hands.

"Can't sleep?" Damon asked as he sat down his glass and watched her. He wrapped his arm around her waist as she leaned into him.

"Yeah just thinking."

"Anything you want to share?"

"Nothing you probably want to hear."

"Oh come on Elena. I'm right here. It's about my brother isn't it."

"I'm sorry. It's just been months since we've seen or heard from him and I need him now and he's not here."

"I'm here Elena," he said as he lightly pushed against her side so she would move closer. He thought she might be ready to cry again. She leaned her head on his shoulder and they sat there for what seemed like eternity. Just the two of them. No sounds. No talking. Just the physical contact and quiet between them.

Elena turned her head and stared at him for what seemed like forever and admitted, "I know Damon. You are always here for me, saving me," she said as she turned away.

"Elena." Damon couldn't help but feel this was a very bad idea. Steffy was not going to be happy about all this sentimental time they were spending together. But Stefan wasn't here and he was.

She leaned against him again and taking her chin in his hand, running it up her jaw and resting it on her check, he turned her face toward him. "Elena we will be fine." Her dark eyes searched his and he knew she was lost. He may be takeing advantage of her but he couldn't help himself. He leaned closer trying to gauge her reaction. As their mouths came together for the lightest of kisses Damon could feel her kiss him back. His hand moved to the back of her neck to pull her close. As he deepened their kiss, she sighed and pulled away just enough to part their mouths.

"Damon…"

"Elena no, don't say it. Just this once let it be what it is."

Elena considered his words. She thought about Stefan and how he'd left her. She considered that he was never coming back and if he did, his humanity would be lost. Could he get it back? Would he still love her? Does he even care? He hadn't even called any of them.

Damon had been there for her, loved her, saved her, and healed her. He was doing all those things again now and she still couldn't let go. She thought about the part of Damon that scared her. His irrational, impulsive, deadly, I don't care attitude.

Then, she thought about the Damon she had come to know and love. Did she just say love? He cared about her. He had given her time. Time to decide who she wanted. He had kept his feelings from her until he lay dying in her arms. Elena knew that something broke between them in that moment. The moment he told her he loved her and had begged for her forgiveness. She thought about the way his arms felt around her. Would she have any regrets? Was this wrong, trading one brother for the other? Did she really love him or was it that she needed him now and he was all she had.

"Elena," his voice came back to her and broke her thoughts. "Elena what I said, when I was sick, I meant it. You know and I think you've known for a while."

The flood that washed over her was strong enough to break the dam she had built. The water poured over her, drowning her, she couldn't breathe, couldn't think. His words came back to her. "What I said, when I was sick, I meant it. You know and I think you've known for a while." And after the kiss they'd just shared. "Elena no don't say it. Just this once let it be what it is."

And just like that she did just let it be, what it was, what it is, what it had become.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries.**

**Pairing: Damon and Elena**

**A/N: I would like to thank my reviewers. You've encouraged me to continue the story. I was going to end it at chapter one but I had a few requests to continue. I think the story is changing to adventure/romance not sure how to label it. Also, I'm new at writing so sorry if the story or conversation gets confusing. Please read and review. Let me know what you think but please be kind. :) Enjoy.**

Elena lay with her head resting on Damon's chest listening to his breathing. She couldn't sleep…couldn't stop thinking about what they had shared that night. Damon held her and kissed her until they had fallen asleep on the couch by the warmth of the fire. It was too soon for more than that. She'd made her decision, but she was still worried about Stefan.

Stefan was gone and she had to accept that. He wouldn't be coming back to her the same even if he did leave Klaus's side. She was only beginning to realize what she felt for Damon, and there couldn't be more yet. He had known it too. Sensed, that she needed more time to let go of Stefan. She loved Damon, wanted him, but she needed time.

She had confessed her love to Damon. It had been a relief to tell Damon that she was hiding her feelings from him. Truthfully, she couldn't tell when her feelings for Damon had changed. When she admitted that he was right, he had held her and his kiss had revealed just how much he wanted her to love him.

He had promised to continue to look for Stefan. Told her that they would try to bring him back and slowly wean him from human blood, but they both knew it was a long shot.

Damon's eyes suddenly flew open as if something had woken him but the house was silent. He looked at her as he put his finger to his lips willing her not to make a sound. She nodded letting him know she understood. Before either of them could react, they heard "Well, well, isn't this cozy?" as Klaus appeared from nowhere. He stood in front of the fireplace with the flames outlining his figure, making him seem even more threatening. He had caught them off guard.

They scrambled to their feet and Damon moved quickly to shield Elena from Klaus.

"Klaus," Damon spat. "I don't believe you've been invited in."

"Oh but I have. Have you met our host?" he said as he motioned to a very angry Stefan lurking in the door way. Even if Stephan had lost his humanity, it was obvious that a part of him didn't like seeing Damon and Elena together on the couch. Maybe there was some hope for him.

"Stefan," Elena gasped.

Damon pulled her back behind him. "Stefan, you idiot! Why would you tell him about the one place I could hide Elena! No one else even knows this place is here."

Elena put her hand on his shoulder and said, "No one, except for Stefan on human blood. He doesn't care anymore remember?"

Damon glared at Klaus, "Why do you want Elena so badly? It's obvious that you have Stefan nipping at your heals like a new puppy. He would never give her up unless he is completely loyal to you."

Klaus gave Damon a warning look, "Because, I don't want you, Stefan, or the rest of your little friends getting in my way. He leaned against the fireplace and looked over at Elena. "Damon I know you've been looking for Stefan. That is not okay with me. It isn't Stefan that is the problem now. He's been playing his part quit well. I need Elena to keep you in line. You are a wild card. There's really no telling what you are capable of when you fly off the handle, going all out vampire. Elena is the key to Stefan's heart but she is your anchor too. It's obvious you are in love with her. I'm sure you would do anything she asked, even if that means bringing your brother back to her and watching her love him for eternity. You see, Stefan and I made a deal and he is going to stick with it." He glanced over at Elena, "even if I have to compel Stefan to kill you both."

Damon glared at Stefan. "I wouldn't even think about it brother," he warned as he clenched his fists at his sides. Elena stood behind him with her hand on his shoulder.

Stefan didn't speak. He didn't even look like Stefan. It was his body but his former personality was gone. It terrified Elena. It looked like he could lose control at any minute.

"Stefan?" she called his name. "Stefan it's Elena. You have to help us. You need to come home." He looked at her but it wasn't love that shone through his eyes but hunger…terrifying, unhinged, hunger. She shivered and stepped back behind Damon as his hand laced with hers giving a squeeze of reassurance.

Klaus spoke up, "Well it seems we have a disagreement to settle. You are meddling in my affairs and I don't have time to deal with you. I'll take Elena now. I've decided to keep her around since it will be in my best interest. Stefan won't cross me and the rest of her little friends will stay away as well, including the witch. The bonus is that you will be out of my way."

In an instant he was across the room and breaking off a wooden stake in Damon's chest. Elena screamed as Damon groaned and dropped to the floor. Klaus hadn't killed him. He hadn't needed to. The message had been delivered. Klaus was much older and stronger and there was nothing they could do about it. "Really, my dear, if you are going to run from me, the least you could do is offer me more of a challenge." Damon growled in anger as he spat, "maybe she would have if we'd known Stefan was going to rat us out."

"Oh don't be too hard on him. He really didn't have much of a choice. I can compel him to do anything I ask. Besides, your little blonde friend was a lot more helpful. Pity she couldn't resist my compulsion. Told me right where you were. I'll bet you feel bad about blaming your brother now don't you?"

Klaus walked over to Damon and pressed his foot on the stake. Damon cursed at him as the stake pushed deeper into his chest. "You should have left me alone," he said smiling down at Damon. "You could have had her all to yourself. I do hope that lovely blonde is around to help you again…oh that's right, I forgot, she can't help you now."

"Caroline? What did you do to her?" Damon's anger was building as he thought about what might have happened to Caroline.

Elena pressed her back to the couch as Klaus leaned over Damon. "Stefan help us," Elena pleaded with him her eyes full of tears. But there was nothing in his face that showed her he even recognized her. There was no remorse. In that instant, Elena knew she had lost him forever. He wasn't coming back to his senses in her lifetime anyway. In another hundred years he might eventually come out of his human blood trance but it wouldn't be when she needed him.

"Stefan, we are leaving now. Take the girl and tell the others to burn the house," Klaus commanded.

"No!" she screamed.

In an instant, Stefan was in front of her. He grabbed her arm and jerked her away from Damon dragging her behind him. "No Stefan stop!" she screamed as he pulled her away. "You can't do this to Damon. He's your brother. You don't want to kill him. Stefan you just gave up everything to save him why would you do that just to let him die! He turned to look at her and she slapped him in the face. "Wake up!" She screamed, but he just stared at her and pulled her after him again.

Stefan dragged her out the front door, calling to the others to burn the house. She heard the sound of breaking glass as burning bottles filled with fuel broke through the cabin windows. They were going to burn the house and Damon with it.

Damon rolled to his knees as he attempted to get to Elena. The pain was unbearable. He wouldn't regain his strength until the stake was removed from his chest, but he had to try. Klaus gave him a push with his foot sending him back to the floor. "I do hope you live through this. It would be a shame to break Elena's heart. After all, she's already lost Stefan." He laughed and walked away.

Klaus emerged from the house giving his instructions to watch the house. He didn't want Damon escaping the fire. Klaus looked at Stefan and compelled him to bring Elena once it was done. Then, he got in his car and drove away assured that Stefan would follow his command.

Elena was in a panic. She fought against Stefan trying to get away. Damon was trapped in the house. He was lying on the floor dying, Stefan was giving her to Klaus, and no one else knew she was in trouble. She didn't have a choice. Elena reached for her sweater pocket, pulled out the vervain needle she had grabbed as she packed, and stabbed Stefan in the arm. He instantly let her go and dropped to the ground. "I'm sorry Stefan," she said with tears in her eyes. She turned back to the house getting away before anyone could stop her. They wouldn't follow her into the fire.

"Damon," she screamed, as she ran back into the living room to get him. He was unconscious. Wake up she yelled at him as his eyebrows scrunched together. He looked at her and told her to get out.

"No I'm not leaving you. Just tell me what to do."

"The stake." he coughed.

"Damon I can't. It's buried in your chest."

"Get it out!" he groaned and managed to get out the words knife and kitchen.

The house was fully on fire and they were running out of time. The roof was starting to catch and they wouldn't be able to find an exit if she didn't hurry. She couldn't drag him out of the house. Klaus's men would just kill Damon and take her back with them.

Elena ran to the kitchen as a chunk of ceiling fell just behind her. She grabbed a knife sitting on the counter and a bag of blood from the refrigerator. She headed back to the living room and tripped over the fallen debris in her haste. She fell to the floor going down hard on her knees. Getting up quickly, she made her way to Damon.

"Go Elena, there's no time for this." Damon said as she leaned over him knife ready.

"And who's going to help me if you die? Now shut up and lay still."

"Yes Mam," he ground out as she stabbed the knife into the base of the stake and began wedging it out of Damon's chest. He let out an agonized groan as the stake came free. He looked down at the gaping hole in his shirt and chest mumbling how much Klaus was going to pay for that.

"Damon the house….," Elena coughed, as smoke-filled her lungs. She gave Damon and worried look. He wasn't going anywhere until he got some blood.

"We have to get to the hallway," Damon told her. She helped him up and he leaned on Elena as they stumbled into the hallway. She shoved the blood bag at him and ordered him to drink. The living room ceiling gave way and engulfed the living room in fire.

**A/N: Let me know what you think. :) Will Damon and Elena get out? What do you think has happened to Caroline? Please review.**


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter done. I want to thank everyone following the story. :) I write better when I know you are enjoying the story so let me know what you think and if there's anything I could do to improve my writing. Please review. :)

Damon finished the blood and was up in an instant pulling Elena along behind him. He headed down the hallway as the house creaked and moaned. She could hear it falling apart all around them. The other vampires must have decided to let her die in the fire with Damon. They hadn't tried to stop her, and Stefan was full of vervain so there was nothing he could do. She knew Stefan wouldn't any nicer when it wore off. Her knees stung from their impact with the debris on the floor, while her lungs burned from the smoke.

"Damon! I can't breathe," she choked out.

"Almost there."

Damon led her into the main bedroom and ripped open the closet door. "Remember your parent's cabin?"

"Yeah. There was a hidden room in the closet, but that's not going to help us get out of here."

Klaus's vampires and Stefan are still outside."

"Trust me, we are getting out of here."

Storming into the closet, he tore clothes and hangers out-of-the-way as he opened a hidden panel leading to dark, narrow, stairs.

"This is an old escape tunnel. Hopefully it will take us out past the house away from the fire. We can't exactly walk out the front door with Klaus and a blood crazed Stefan out there."

"Klaus left and I stuck Stefan with a vervain needle, but the others are still outside. Klaus ordered them to stay. Won't Stefan know about the escape tunnel?"

"I don't tell my baby brother everything Elena." he said with a wink. "This was my room. Too bad for him he's not much of a snooper."

The roof creaked and the bedroom ceiling came crashing to the floor. Elena jumped and Damon pulled her down the stairs after him.

She ran blindly behind Damon and tripped over a rock, waiting in the darkness. Elena gasped and put her arms out reaching for something to catch her fall. The only thing she found was the back of Damon. They landed on the floor in a clump. As he rolled toward her so that they were facing each other, she groaned out a sorry. She was very aware that she was lying on top of him and the memories of the night before were coming back to her. She could still remember the warmth of his kisses and the way his arms felt around her.

"Elena are you okay?"

His voice snapped her mind back to reality. "Uh…yeah. I'm fine, just tripped. I can't see a thing down here.

Damon sat up pulling her with him, leaning against the wall. Sighing, she leaned her head on Damon's shoulder.

"Elena I can smell blood. Did Stefan or Klaus hurt you?" "

"No. I think I skinned my knees when I tripped over those boards running from the kitchen." She felt the gaping hole in her jeans, but she couldn't tell how bad her knees were in the dark. "I was so scared back at the house, I didn't notice when it happened."

"Now I have to try not to eat you while we are down here."

"Damon that's not funny," Elena said using her serious tone of voice. She could hear the teasing in his voice. He made way to many jokes about that lately.

She thought about how Stefan had dragged her out of the house mercilessly. His grip on her arm had been unbearable. She was sure there was nothing left of Stefan but an empty shell.

Damon could tell that Elena was thinking of Stefan. She had gotten quiet and he could hear the crack in her voice as she remembered how his brother hadn't even shown a hint of his love for her.

"Elena, we need to keep moving in case this part of the tunnel collapses with the house."

"I know, I just need a minute." She leaned over and held her ribs as a fit of coughing overwhelmed her. "Damon, I can't breathe." She felt sick and light-headed from the amount of smoke she had inhaled and her knees burned from the impact with the floor.

"I was so scared I wasn't going to get to you in time. Stefan dragged me from the house. He was going to turn me over to Klaus. He's not pretending. I saw his eyes. If Klaus had given him the okay, he would have killed us both." She could still remember how empty his eyes had looked when she pleaded with him to help her save Damon.

"I'm well aware of that Elena. Klaus did just attempt to stake me and leave me in a burning house so I'm guessing he has already given the okay to get rid of me." He remembers lying on the floor unable to move thinking there was no way he could crawl away from the fire in time. He couldn't remove the stake himself and he didn't have the strength he needed to save Elena. He had felt so helpless. Promising he'd make Klaus pay, he turned his attention toward Elena.

"If he wanted to kill you, why didn't he just stake you in the heart? That's how it works right? You don't come back from that and I'm guessing he missed on purpose."

"The stake in my chest was a warning. Stefan only promised his loyalty to Klaus to save my life. If Klaus had killed me, he wouldn't have Stefan to toy with. My brother could continue as the ripper but not for Klaus. He'd be free to do what he wanted. Stefan is on human blood and crazy, but I'm sure the only loyalty he has to Klaus is from saving my life."

"You didn't see what I did Damon. Klaus is compelling Stefan now. Stefan must have made Klaus suspicious. Maybe he was going to leave or something. I don't know."

"You're reaching Elena. Stefan made a deal with Klaus to save me and because he forced human blood on him. A lot of it too from what Katherine told us. Enough to bring out the dark side of him."

"I guess you're right. I just don't want him to be gone. But I did see Klaus compel him."

Damon sighed. He thought for a moment back at the house she was ready to let Stefan go, but all she could do after seeing him was explore ways to bring him back to her. Remembering what Klaus had told him about Caroline, he decided it was best to let her know and not hide the truth from her.

"Elena there's something you should know. After Stefan took you out of the house, Klaus told me that it was Caroline that told him where to find us. He compelled her."

Elena gasped. All she could think about was what he might have done to her friend.

"He said something else too." Damon let that first bit sink in before he continued. Klaus had hinted that Caroline was dead but he couldn't be sure. It was best just to prepare her for the worst. "He told me that he took care of her," finishing with a whisper.

"Damon"…she said, her voice shaking, "Is Caroline dead?"

"I don't know. Klaus only said he took care of her, but he could have lied."

"If I'm the reason Caroline is dead, I'll never forgive myself. She's my best friend. She doesn't deserve this."

He could hear the tears in her voice; feel them slide onto his shoulder. He held her closely assuring her that they would do all they could to find out what happened to Caroline. They were best friends and he didn't want her feeling responsible for anything that happened to her.

"Hey I'm the one that asked her to come remember? None of this is your fault. Besides, Caroline is your friend. She would do anything to help protect you just like you would for her."

Elena sniffed and started another round of coughing. Crying wasn't making it any easier to breathe. When she got control of herself again she leaned back against the wall and nodded to Damon as he asked if she was alright. She just wanted to see her friends again and make sure Jeremy was still okay. If Klaus had gone to Caroline to find her, there was no way to be sure he hadn't found Jeremy first. She needed to see him. Make sure that he was safe.

"We need to get out of this tunnel. Are you okay to walk?"

"Yeah, let's just get out of here."

She took his hand and he led her through the tunnel using his vampire senses, trying to warn her when he came into contact with roots, bottles, holes, and other objects littering the tunnel floor. When Elena began to cough uncontrollably again, he knew she was too tired. She looked exhausted and he was getting a lot more concerned about the wheeze he heard in her breathing.

"Come here," he said as he scooped her up deciding to carry her.

She laid her head on his shoulder as he carried her through the darkness. Burying her face in his neck, she took a deep breath. He still smelled so good even with the scent of smoke from the fire. She felt so safe in his arms. It had been such a long two days. She needed sleep. All she could think about was Jeremy, Caroline, and the rest of her friends back in Mystic Falls. Jeremy had no idea where she was. They had left quickly and she hadn't even had a chance to let him know she was okay. She couldn't leave him alone. She was all he had left.

"Damon?"

"Hmm?"

"I want to go home."

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea yet."

"I know, but Klaus found us here. We would be just as safe at home as anywhere. At least at home, we would have help."

"I didn't think you wanted to involve Jeremy or Bonnie."

"I don't. At least there, we can keep a better eye on Klaus. He doesn't know for sure if we are still alive."

Damon smirked. "He knows we are alive, because you ran back in and saved me. I'm sure he knew you would. Thank you for saving me." He leaned in and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"We already know Klaus wants us both to stop looking for Stefan. We remind him of his conscience. Stefan doesn't want to completely lose control and his memories of you are probably the only thing keeping him from going all out ripper."

"I don't think so. The Stefan I saw didn't care anymore.

"Have you even been through this tunnel before? I mean…have you actually seen where it goes?"

"Nope."

"Then how do you know it even has an out? We could get to the end of this thing and be trapped down here forever."

Damon laughed. "Well at least I brought a snack." Elena could hear the teasing in his voice.

She was going to say something about leaving him behind next time when she noticed that she could see the outline of his face. "Damon is it getting lighter in here?"

It was getting easier to make out the area around them. There was a faint light in front of them. Damon carried her around a corner of the tunnel and said, "Looks like we found our way out." He put her down as they came to an old wooden door. As Damon pushed it open, they could see that it lead into a small room. It was stocked with various supplies covered with years of dust. "Well," she said as she looked through the dusty shelves, "I think I figured out where they kept the lanterns and flashlights." The room had been well supplied at one time. Whoever had owned the house had been paranoid. There was enough food, supplies, and clothing for a person to live comfortably for weeks.

The light was coming from a door above them. Damon immediately climbed the ladder and pushed open the door illuminating the room. She followed him up the ladder and out of the cellar. The exit had been completely concealed and looked like it hadn't been used in years.

The light outside was so bright it took Elena a few minutes to see what was on the other side. Taking a quick look around, all she could see were trees. She couldn't see any sign of the house but there was a trail of smoke in the sky leading the way back to the still burning cabin. As they walked away from the opening, they heard a familiar voice.

"It's about time you found your way out of there."

**A/N: So who do you think found them? Thanks for reading. **


End file.
